THREE LEADERS, ONE SIDEMAN · A TRIBUTE TO THE JAZZ POETRY OF DON JOSEPH

Personnel:

Don Joseph (cnt, tp), Don Ferrara, Jerry Lloyd, Phil Sunkel (tp), Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb), Milt Gold, Jim Dahl, Frank Rehak (tb), Lee Konitz, Hal McKusick, Gene Quill, Dave Schildkraut (as), Al Cohn, Caesar Di Mauro, Charlie Rouse, Zoot Sims (ts), Gerry Mulligan (bs, p, arr), John Williams, Eddie Costa, Bill Triglia (p), Chuck Wayne (g), Clyde Lombardi, Teddy Kotick, Joe Benjamin, Curley Russell (b), Art Mardigan, Jimmy Campbell, Dave Bailey (d), Jackie Paris (vcl)

Reference: FSRCD 919

Don Joseph (1923-1994) merged jazz and poetry in his style. He was a cornet player of sweet sound and controlled passion, with the most delicate of timbres, a feeling for melody and an exquisite choice of notes, who was not at all compromised by any particular style. Too shy to ask for recognition, as if playing was the essential thing, it was a pity that such a gifted, sensitive player—like his friend trumpeter Tony Fruscella—was seemingly incapable of sustained work habits.

His imagination and cornet sound was a marriage that yielded sheer poetry. Throughout a well-structured, diverse set his solos are consistently excellent, but his chorus on What a Difference a Day Made is certainly one of the highpoints. It is poetry expressed in music, a combination of emotion and creative invention intuitively brought to life by his wonderfully expressive, personal sound, and an impeccable sense of time and pacing, all facets to be found in his work over this set.

His appearances on records were very few, and his solos rare. This CD contains the most complete collection of his work. Some of his phrases are timeless statements. He was a unique personification of jazz.

Tracklisting:

01. I’ve Found a New Baby (Palmer-Williams) 2:59

02. Moroccan Blues (Al Cohn) 3:05

03. Old Gold (Milt Gold) 2:23

04. Golden Touch (Quincy Jones) 2:53

05. What a Difference a Day Made (Maria Grever) 3:25

06. Embraceable You (G. & I. Gershwin) 4:36

07. How About You? (Freed-Lane) 3:45

08. Lover Man (Davis-Ramirez-Sherman) 4:20

09. Love for Sale (Cole Porter) 5:05

10. Mullenium (Gerry Mulligan) 5:58

—Solos: Mulligan, Joseph, Brookmeyer, Sims

11. All the Things You Are (Kern-Hammerstein II) 5:40

—Solos: Mulligan, Konitz, Joseph

12. Thruway (Gerry Mulligan) 8:26

—Solos: Mulligan (p, bs), Lloyd, Brookmeyer, Joseph, Sims, Konitz

13. Jackie’s Blues (Jackie Paris) 6:51 *

14. Buzzy (Charlie Parker) 10:12 *

15. Whooz Blues (Dave Schildkraut) 9:42 *

Total time: 79:00 min. approx.

(*) Bonus Tracks

Sources:

Tracks #1-4: from the LP “The Jazz School” (EmArcy MG-36093)

Tracks #5-9: from the LP “String Fever” (Vik LX-1098)

Tracks #10-12: from the LP “The Arranger” (Columbia 34803)

Tracks #13 & 15: from the LP “Bebop Is Where It’s At, Vol.1”

(Honey Dew HD 6609)

Track #14: from the LP “Bebop Is Where It’s At, Vol.2”

(Honey Dew HD 6610)

Personnel on #1-4: AL COHN Sextet

Don Joseph, cornet; Milt Gold, trombone; Al Cohn, tenor sax; John Williams, piano; Teddy Kotick, bass; Art Mardigan, drums.

Recorded in New York City, May 20, 1954

Personnel on #5-7: CHUCK WAYNE Sextet

Don Joseph, cornet; Caesar Di Mauro, tenor sax; Eddie Costa, piano & vibes; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Clyde Lombardi, bass; Jimmy Campbell, drums.

Recorded at RCA Victor Studio “A,” New York City, July 22, 1957

Personnel on #8-9: CHUCK WAYNE Sextet

Don Joseph, trumpet; Gene Quill, alto sax; Caesar Di Mauro, tenor sax; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Clyde Lombardi, bass; Sonny Igoe, drums.

Recorded at RCA Victor Studio “A,” New York City, July 23, 1957

Personnel on #10-12: GERRY MULLIGAN and His Orchestra

Don Joseph, cornet; Don Ferrara, Jerry Lloyd, Phil Sunkel, trumpets; Bob Brookmeyer, valve trombone; Jim Dahl, Frank Rehak, trombones; Lee Konitz, Hal McKusick, alto saxes; Charlie Rouse, Zoot Sims, tenor saxes; Gene Allen, baritone sax; Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax, piano, arranger; Joe Benjamin, bass; Gus Johnson (#10), Dave Bailey, drums.

Recorded in New York City, April, 19 & 20, 1957

Personnel on #13-15: DAVE SCHILDKRAUT Quintet

Don Joseph, trumpet (#13) & cornet; Dave Schildkraut, alto sax; Bill Triglia, piano; Curley Russell, bass; Earl Walker, drums; Jackie Paris, vocals (#13).

Recorded live at “El Mambo” club, Cliffton, Long Island, NY, 1952

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol

Hi Fi · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered

About Don Joseph, by Bill Crow:

“I knew Don, he played both trumpet and cornet, but I think he only owned a cornet when I knew him. When he recorded with Gerry Mulligan once, he didn’t even own a cornet. Gerry loaned him one that someone had given him. Don’s addiction caused him to pawn anything of value, for a while. There are some stories about Don in my book ‘From Birdland to Broadway’.”